Healthy Leaders | Issue 26

How did Jesus motivate His followers?

Jun 07, 2024

Welcome to Issue 26 of Healthy Leaders. In this issue, we explore the fifth kind of power leaders use to motivate their followers: servant power.

Hello friends,

Welcome back to our ongoing conversation1 on healthy Christian leadership and leader development.

In the last issue, we discussed four kinds of power that leaders use to motivate their followers:

Coercive power, the leader’s capacity to administer punishment to those who don’t do what he or she says.
Reward power, the leader’s capacity to promise future rewards to his or her followers.
Positional power, when the leader’s authority resides in the position rather than the person.
Expert power, when the leader’s influence resides in his or her ability to supply needed information or skills.

You can get our new tool that provides a cost-benefit comparison for each of these kinds of power here.

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As we discussed last time, these four kinds of power are insufficient on their own to truly lead people in a healthy, biblical way. Thankfully, there’s a fifth kind of power available to us, and Jesus has already perfected it.

Here’s Malcolm with more:

From John 13:3-17, one of the great biblical passages on servanthood, we can determine some insights into the true nature of servant leadership.2

Servanthood is not weakness.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; (John 13:3)

Jesus’ servanthood was not out of personal weakness, but personal strength. He knew who He was in God. He knew He was God. He was very secure in who He was.

Only those who are secure in Christ can exercise true servant leadership. Those who are insecure become dominating and possessive, ambitious and competitive. They intimidate others through their expertise, manipulate them through coercion or reward, or dominate them through position.

Servanthood must be chosen.

so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. (John 13:4)

Jesus chose this style of leadership. No one made Him do it — no one even expected it! He could have chosen the other kinds of leadership.

Moreover, servanthood must be chosen daily. It is not a one-time event. We must take up our crosses daily, allowing God to put to death our own agendas and ambitions.

Servant leadership is genuinely selfless.

After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:5)
…he knew who was going to betray him… (John 13:11)

How many pairs of feet did Jesus wash? 12! Jesus knew Judas was going to betray Him, yet still washed his feet. This reveals the selfless nature of true leadership. The true Christian leader will not only serve those who can benefit him or who are assured of succeeding in the future. The godly leader will also serve those who he knows will let him down — even those who he knows will stab him in the back! He serves not only the loyal but also the disloyal; not only the strong but also the weak; not only those with great potential but also those without apparent potential.

Servanthood does not mean weakly letting everyone else set the agenda.

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (John 13:8)

Jesus’ servanthood did not mean that He gave up being in charge, and just naively let others set His agenda for Him. He was always the leader. Servant leadership is not “people-pleasing” but doing the will of God.

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.” (John 13:13)

To be a servant does not mean you don’t lead, but it establishes your motive for leading and your attitude as you do lead. Some think that true servant leadership means that you give up leadership and let others set the course and the agenda. Servant leadership does not mean you give up leadership. It refers to the motive, style and the attitude with which you exercise your leadership. You must lead, but you must lead as one who serves.

Jesus not only models for us this attitude of servant leadership (Philippians 2:5-11), but He empowers us to actually do it!

You can lead like Jesus! You can lead your followers with a humble servant’s heart, seeking their best and God’s greatest purposes for them. You can be united with Christ and experience true transformation — and lead your people in the pursuit of God’s highest for them!

Why not start today?

What about you?

How will you display servant leadership in your own context this week? What ways can you do so? Share your ideas with all of us in the comments!

Recommended Resources

Video Teaching: How to Build Servant Leaders
Audio Teaching: Jesus’ True Giving — Philippians 2:5-11
Article: Mesmerize Your Followers So You Can Do Whatever You Want
For more resources, visit our new website.

Healthy Leaders